A man attempted to scale the external glass walls of Trump Tower, located on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan Wednesday afternoon. The unnamed person used what appeared to be suction cups in his climb up 10 floors of the 58-story mixed-use skyscraper owned by the Republican nominee Donald Trump.

The New York Police Department responded to 911 calls about the trespasser around 4 p.m. Wednesday. Authorities attempted to block the man at the 16th floor with a window-washing car, but removed the object around 5:15 p.m. after the climber pivoted around the corner to continue upward where there was no blockade.


Police cut through multiple portions of the glass windows that could be used to pull the daredevil trespasser inside. As the suspect moved left, police attempted to cut through another window to catch him, but his ability to move around the outside of the building made it difficult for authorities to nab him.

NYPD officers in helmets finally grabbed him as he tried to pass through a cut window and threw him inside the building.


Authorities say the man appears to have started from the fifth floor and had made it to the 16th floor around 5:30 p.m., according to ABC News. Initial reports say the man is named Steve and from Virginia.


Trump was not present during the incident due to scheduled rallies in Virginia and Florida. It's unclear whether the climber is trying to make a political statement with his climb or if his choosing Trump Tower was a mere coincidence. The Trump Organization called the stunt "ridiculous and dangerous."

"There's damage to the building and he caused the unnecessary deployment of New York's finest to protect his safety and the safety of everyone in the building. He's caused the shutdown of traffic on Fifth Avenue," Michael Cohen, executive vice president of the Trump Organization, said in a statement to The Hill. "I'm 100 percent certain the NYPD had better things to do. If Mr. Trump were here he'd be thanking law enforcement for the job they're doing."


A video of a man purporting to be the climber was posted on YouTube late Tuesday night. The individual in the video said he was an independent researcher trying to discuss a private matter with Trump.

"Believe me, if my purpose was not significant, I would not risk my life to pursuing it. The reason I climbed your tower was to get your attention. If I had sought this via conventional means I would be much less likely to have success because you are a busy man with many responsibilities," the man said. "I'll get my contact information to your campaign so that if you are interested you can respond." "Make sure to get out and vote for Mr. Trump in 2016 election," he added at the end.